Sagebomb

I think guys like yourself underestimate what they have to offer. You are solving problems on a daily basis and your information is up to date. Those of us who have homes, cars and speak the language, don’t deal with the same kind of issues and our information would be second hand at best when answering questions from new arrivals.

Anything you find interesting or discover along the way, may help someone else who is looking for the same thing. If people were willing to share more and not just take, life would be easier for all. Things like where you are staying, where you eat, how you get around, things you like and things you find difficult would all be of interest to someone.

I guess that makes sense, though not completly sure many people really travel my way. Out on my walks I am almost always the only person I see walking anywhere outside of a few popular spots. But thats true, people who are even more newb than I, I would have no worries saying what I did. I guess many visitors dont kind of have time/interest/will to accept the sun and rain to do walks like this one (dots are more anchor points than stopping spots) route in car mode because walk mode it wouldnt snap the way I wanted it to.

Getting around, I arrived on a bus on the 24th, havent stepped on transit since...But true, I will keep a eye out and see if I can add anything.

Doi Chang on Thanalai?

Yeah, internet cafes do seem to be pretty nonexistant now.

Cheers.

Try the travel agents that do photocopying, they could probably print off a USB stick

The one diagonally opposite Doi Chang Coffee shop would be a good place to start.

Most of the internet cafes have gone now, the advent of 3G and 4G and smartphones/ Tablets made them largely redundant.

Newish, hard to say as like I am sure many of you are/have been I am a wanderer.

I have done a fair bit of travel, but mostly work based/exchange visas. Last year was the first year where I considered I could actually afford to really visit a place and relax. Thailand had always been high on the list. Local forums in general is how I start to feel out where I would like to stay, because to feel out a place I want to stay at least a month. Last year I choose Chiang Mai because it seemed to be a easy transition to thai farang life. And I enjoyed it, I spent two months there. This year I planned bigger trip with more places, and Chiang Rai seemed really appealing kind of like a more laid back Chiang Mai. (Since the main things I am looking for is has easy access to most things, but is still a relaxed place, has a gym (although I had my first scooter drive...and ineitable wipe out the day before coming here, so gym hasnt exactly happened), lots of food choices, and nature close by. Anyways...

I have read topics on this forum many times since last year decided to come here for a month, and made a topic in feb asking for advice on a place to stay. I have been browsing about weekly since then at least. But as a antisocial introvert. Making posts/topics is still kind of a scary thing, even if everyone seems chill.

Like does anyone know a place in Chiang Rai where I could print my VOA letter for when I head to Vietnam in a bit. I have seen a couple computer places, but they seem dedicated to gaming. Its not a option here. I dont have a USB currently but am happy to buy one (Normally I carry one, but left them at home this time). Preferably a place within a 8km walk either way of the Sunday street where I am staying. (due to that wipe out a few weeks ago, I find walking much more than about 15-18km at once starts getting a bit rough.). I considered making a topic asking, but do you mind people just coming in, fleetingly to steal your knowledge without adding to it?

I love walking places because I find its the best way to find random things (Like I love all the little lakes/ponds....because I am a bug guy and they tend to have cool bugs). And thats how I ended up stumbling into that large cave about a km or so before Tham Phra.

At this stage I can see myself doing another month here next year. So will keep lurking, because all the info is good, but alas I am unable to add anything thus far. Maybe after a couple more years of one monthing it.

Hey everyone, my laptop has decided it no longer wants to charge (Im pretty sure its the connection, not the battery or charger), as well as having a busted hinge.

Is there any good places around where I may be able to get it fixed?

The only relevant thread I found here was one from 2010, which mentioned KVC, a google shows a place shows a kvc outside of chiang rai. Im currently next to the Night Bazaar so not a huge distance away would be cool. But obviously flexable for a good place with maybe a little english skills.

Thanks in advance.

Is it bad I really expected there to be a bunch line at the bottom of OP?

This is only my second two month stint here, so I probably dont really have a grasp on any realities yet. Especially since I have no desire to "hook up" in any way shape or form...that makes me a failure as a farang right?

But Im still living in the honeymoon phase, and not minding the tradeoffs. Coming from NZ sure we may be cleaner and greener, but that comes with a premium in price. I had one experience last time I was here where I *gasp* paid the posted price on a pair of teeshirts, the vender took pity on me I guess because they threw in some extras...but I still could hardly grasp how cheap the posted price was anyways.

In NZ recently I have been able to get internet as fast as 1mb/s and as fast as 2. But thats taken years. Here sure some places seem unstable, but thats why you check it out first right?

Prehaps I will have to keep coming back, and once I get more money behind me move here longer, so I can find a similar level of disenchantment.

But do what ever makes you happy really. Find what tradeoffs you are willing to make, since all countries have them.

So update and another question.

I will be flying into Thailand on the 25th of April. Normally I like to know where I am staying initially before I go. But it seems many of the condo'y type places dont have online contacts (or havent replied to general enquiries). Is it more normal to just rock up to a place and negotiate a stay on arrival, or is that quite risky in terms of not finding one. I dont mind if I have to try a few different places on the day I arrive. (Like for condotel I can see a general phone number, and then what looks like several subletters on different websites (flipkey, airbnb etc), but with prices mostly from 14k/m up.

Thanks again everyone.

None that I've noticed sorry.

I suspect that it will be directed at the Thai market and people involved will use that language almost exclusively.

I'll try to check this week, if there is a sign outside with a phone number I'll post it.

Thats cool, I really appreciate your help

Not sure if the OP is still checking but was told today that the new apartments next to Big C are starting at 7000 a month.

Yep, I am contracted here til the end of april, so wont be travelling till after that. Though generally I like to sort things out a couple months before going if I can. (Although flexible if things change).

Thanks for the advice. Does the complex have a name?

Cheers.

I'd suggest the Condotel, they advertise rooms 5000-8000 a month, have a 24 hour convenience store and also a reasonable priced cafe.

A walk to town would be well under 30 minutes.

Not sure about the gym but it has a pool.

In a slightly older area there's a few hotels on Ruamchittawai Road behind the public hospital, I knew a guy living there in one for 4300 a month,,, Mayas???...

Many student nurses live around here so there is an abundance of cheap Thai food and it's a few minutes walk to the main street.

Awesome advice, thanks kindly.

@Pom Thanks for the seconding.

Hey Everyone.

First of all thanks for all the information I have been able to gleam from you whilst lurking in the shadows. Last year I spent two months hanging out in Chiang Mai, and am looking for something kind of same same but different.

After seeing the plant/insect thread, how could I say no to Chiang Rai. Whilst Im sure such awesome things are all around, the clear passion people have for getting close to bugs really draws me in.

I am still in the research/planning stage, but would probally be looking for two months based in one city again. Mainly I am looking for a place where I can "chill" and things are within walking distance. (When I was in Chiang Mai I walked the 18km from Galae thong to Doi Suthep and then back a slightly longer way, which is something I consider to be walking distance). I know I can bike, but I like to walk, and the heat in june wasnt so bad.

Key things I want is somewhere where I can rent a private room/bathroom with wifi, preferably within 20 mins walk of a gym which has a good ammount of free weights + a squat rack (the rest of gym modcons I can take or leave) and within 30 mins walk of good street/non-street food of the "any" variety (though a good range within 10 mins is awesome). As someone with good student debt I am still looking basically as cheap as possible. But I am not the party/high social type, so quieter places are also preferred.

If the places you recomend have a website/fb thats a bonus.

Feel free to sell, or disuade me on Chiang Rai, but for now it looks like a pretty awesome place to spend a couple months. I would be looking around may-june.

Thank you to anyone who gave this as much as a side ways glance.

Sorry for not replying directly to everyone, but I want to say thanks for all the awesome information, and some of the funnier information as well. Cheers guys (and gals).

I don't care for moo kata places myself, but Sukonta is the best of them. I wouldn't worry about going alone, it's not an issue. Just go and have a good time.

Cheers,

Cool cool

Often a small surcharge for dining alone, maybe to cover the cost of gas. Just so you don't feel you are being ripped off. Why not find a fatty and ask her along. Not many would turn you down.

Where would you find a fatty? Im too introverted to go to clubs/pubs/talk to people...

So, I have been in Chiang Mai coming up three weeks just on holiday (on the two month visa). Basing myself here in Chiang Mai. Been mostly eating around the gates/markets/basement food courts, but am wanting to branch out a little more. Sukonta looks like a experience to be had, but pretty much everywhere I have read about it says its a social experience best done with a group. Is there any social convention I need to worry about if I go alone, or is going alone a issue? Or prehaps there is a better moo kata to wet my feet with as a loner?

I am based in Galae Thong at the moment, and tend to walk everywhere (Just because I like walking, and trying to make up for a decrease in the exercise I am doing atm), but am happy to go anywhere I can get to within about a 2 hour walk. Like a walk from Galae Thong to Maya for me is a nice afternoon lunch sort of walk. (I walked from Galae thong to Doi Sutep up the natur trail, and then down via part of the trail, and part of the road to again hit up Maya on the way back, so 29kms in a day isnt too much for me). So with that is there any other good places where food venders tend to gather besides the gates, uni, night market. Maybe south of the city? I dont mind taking transit if I need to, just since I am free all day atm, I dont see the point when I can walk somewhere in just a hour or two.

Thanks in advance for any advice, I have been reading this forum for months, but have avoided posting so far without trying to figure out everything myself. Hopefully I havent broken any of your conventions.